Removable insulating unit for pipe couplings and the like



1`/Iagrlesiun1 oxysulphte cenlent is forIned by combining magnesiumsulphate solution with magnesimn 0de t is from 2 to, 3 tin1es as strongas Portland or high alun1ina cenents and unex ected1y is capable ofvvithstanding ver high tenperatures, c0rnn1encing to break dovvn atabout 1800 BecuSe 0f its strength, it can be used in n1uch sInalleralnounts than other ce- Inents, thereby producing a Inuch Inoreefficient insulating T!1adteria]. ''he efcienCy of a cenent hondedinsulating Ina.teria1 depends very greatly on the amount of cenlentused,

f the cenlentitious insulating n1aerial be for!ned vvith the use ofSuction or centrifuga'l force t0 expe1 the excess liquid, ii; ispossible to use as 1ittle as one part by volulne of cenlent to twentynvet0 thirty parts ofexf01iated verTnicu lite Preferab1y a Snlall anlountof 1b1`Ous aS- bestos is used in the Inixture t0' n1aintain a uni ormdis ribution of the SInall amount of celnent thr 01ghqut the Inass andto prevent its SeggatiOnduring the Tenloval of excess liquid by theapplication of ce!ltrifuga] force or suctionl ''0 secure uniforIn(listl'ibution of the small amounts of Inagnesium oxide and asbeS0sthroughout the exfoliated ver!niculite, he Inix ture is preferably Tnadeup in the forn1 f a slurry utilizing a considerab1e excess of InagnesiumSu1 phate Solution of about 5 to 10 'I"lle ex cess Tnagnesiutn sulphatesolution subsequently withdrawnby Suction orcentrifuga1 fofce nlay, 0fcourse be'used aga n vvhile the insulation may be molded to shape havebeen able to produce a much more accu rately nlade unit by turning thevarious units to Size. 'Ihe n1aterial is adlnirably adapted to turningand Inay be turned and cut very accu1'ately It is huS possible to workto very close dinlensions and for 1 tightly itting joints 'lle Tesu1tinginsu1ating Inaterial is exception ally durable and at the saIne tiInepossesses an insulating eciency at high tenperatures equaled in no hightemperature insulation Tegardless of matter of strength At temperaturesof 800 to 900 the K factor of this n1aterial is approxi- Inately .8 or(9. 1-'[any ipe lines, particularly those in the oil industry, 1-eachtemperatures of 900 The conventiona1 nlagnesia pipe insula tion isincapable of resisting ten1peratures ex ceeding 600 ()bviously theinvention is not 1ilTlited to the details of the i1lustrativeconstruction since these nlay be variously In0dified. 1"Iore0ver, it isnot indispensable that all features of the invention be used conj0intlysince various features Znay be used to advantage in differentcon1binations and subcon1binations.

fIaving described Iny invention, clain1:

An insulatin unit for pipe and aSSociaed pipe coup1ings comprisinginsulating 1T1ateria1 vvhich can be Inachined to exact size and which iscap2 ble of */ithstanding teInperatures in excess of 600 Said-insulatingInateria1 COInprising exfoliated vermictdite bonded together by cementcapable of WihStanding teInpeatuTes in excess of 600 the v01ume of WhichceInent is about one tWentyfth of that of the veTnic1ite the insulatingInateria1 con1 risin inner and outer serni-0y1indrica1 Sections, thinner sections conforn1ing in size to the pipe and 10cated adjacentopp0site side of the coup1ing, the outer Sections surrounding thecoupling and in contact vvith the Said inner sections, the contactingsurfaces of said inner and outer Sections being niShed for accuratelyitting engageInent and being cenlented together t0 provide a pair ofsemi-cylindrica1 parts for suIrounding the coupling, Said' parts TeSpectively having 2 protective covering on their exterior PAUL s. DENNIG

